**Edgbaston, Day 2 — Morning Session**
The Edgbaston crowd was already in full voice by the time Ishaan Verma took guard on a cloudy Birmingham morning. The scoreboard read **India 42 for 1** — Rahul gone late on Day 1 to a sharp inswinger from Anderson. The Duke was still new enough to bite, and the overheads promised movement.
From the Pavilion End, Anderson bustled in, eyes locked on Ishaan. The first ball of the day was a probing length just outside off — Ishaan shouldered arms with a still head.
> *Nasser Hussain on commentary:*
> "And there it is… the discipline. No flirtation outside off first thing. He's making Jimmy bowl to him."
Ball two — fuller, swinging in. Ishaan pressed forward, meeting it with the middle, presenting the maker's name like a statement of intent. The sound of leather on wood was crisp, textbook.
From the other end, Broad tried his trademark angle across the right-hander. Ishaan clipped him neatly through midwicket for the first boundary of the day. The crowd's applause had that grudging English warmth: they respected good batting, even from the opposition.
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**Key passage of play: Anderson vs Ishaan**
8th over of the morning — Anderson went full, straight, and just a touch too overpitched. Ishaan's stride was long, the bat swing smooth, and the ball raced past mid-off for four.
Anderson grinned.
> "Bit eager there, eh?"
> Ishaan, calm as ever:
> "Just punishing the mistakes, Jimmy. Same as you do."
The very next ball — perfect outswinger. Ishaan leaned but didn't chase. Applause from the slips. A little battle within the battle.
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**Partnership building with Pujara**
Pujara, at the other end, was all leaves and soft hands. The pair added 68 runs, wearing down England's opening burst. When Anderson finally took a breather, Ishaan immediately went after Woakes — two consecutive cover drives that drew oohs from the Hollies Stand.
By drinks, Ishaan was on **41* off 102 balls*\*, unhurried but unshaken. The Duke had stopped swinging as sharply, but the discipline remained.
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**Afternoon Session — Kohli's arrival**
Pujara's resistance ended at 36, nicking Broad behind. That brought in Virat Kohli, striding in to a chorus of boos — the old 2014 memories still fresh for the English crowd. Ishaan just gave him a little nod: *Stay calm. Build.*
The first few overs were quiet, England's seamers tightening up again. Ishaan reached his **fifty** with a flick off his pads, raising his bat briefly. No over-the-top celebration — just a glance towards the dressing room where Dravid gave a rare smile.
> *Atherton on commentary:*
> "He's not been flustered once today. It's the sort of innings you can build a team around."
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**Anderson's second spell — the examination**
With the ball 45 overs old, Anderson returned. His first ball was a wobble-seamed beauty that jagged away — Ishaan left it by millimetres. The next one swung in late and thudded into the pad — big appeal, denied. A smirk from Anderson.
Ishaan's reply came two balls later — a firm punch off the back foot through point. Four runs, a statement. The crowd's noise dropped a notch.
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**Kohli ignites**
While Ishaan was the anchor, Kohli lit the afternoon with strokes on both sides of the wicket. A cover drive off Woakes that sent a ripple through the stands. A whipped flick off Broad that nearly took out the square leg umpire.
By tea, the partnership had swelled past 100. India 202/2. Ishaan on 77\*, Kohli already into the 60s.
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**Evening Session — the near-miss**
In the 79th over, with the second new ball looming, Anderson angled one in, straightened, and Ishaan's outside edge flew… between second slip and gully for four. He froze for half a second, then tapped his bat in thanks to the turf.
Two overs later, Woakes got his man — a short ball that held its line, Ishaan's pull shot not quite middled, Stokes taking a sharp catch at midwicket. **Ishaan gone for 83 off 196 balls** — an innings of discipline, patience, and quiet defiance.
As he walked off, the Edgbaston crowd stood. Not raucously, but respectfully. Even Anderson gave him a nod.
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**Kohli's masterclass**
Freed up by Ishaan's foundation, Kohli took control. England's second new ball was treated with disdain — drives on the up, wristy flicks, and the occasional roar after boundaries. His century came off 172 balls, the bat raise deliberate towards the same Hollies Stand that had jeered him earlier.
> *Nasser Hussain:*
> "That's a champion's response. He was written off in these conditions in 2014 — look at him now."
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**Lower order resistance**
Kohli farmed the strike as wickets fell — Rahane for 12, Pant for a brisk 24 before skying one. Shami joined Kohli in a brief cameo partnership, adding 28 vital runs. Kohli eventually perished on **149**, edging Anderson trying to force the pace.
India's innings closed at **274**, trailing by just 13.
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**England's shaky start – 2nd innings**
With half an hour left in the day, Shami and Bumrah steamed in under fading light. Shami struck in his second over — Burns trapped LBW shouldering arms. England 4/1.
Bumrah almost had Crawley nicking one, but it dropped short of Kohli at second slip. The crowd began a low, anxious murmur.
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**Stump Mic – Final Over of the Day**
Ashwin, bowling the day's last over to Root, tossed one up invitingly.
Ashwin: "One mistake, Joe, and you'll be explaining it all night."
Root: (smiling) "I'll sleep just fine, thanks."
England closed at **22/1**, a lead of 35 runs. The balance was delicate — India with momentum, England wary.
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**Dressing Room Close**
Back in the Indian dressing room, Ishaan sat with ice strapped to his knee, scrolling through his 83-run innings on the analyst's laptop. Kohli walked past, clapping him on the shoulder.
> "You made them bowl where they didn't want to. That's half the battle here."
Ishaan smiled faintly. The battle was far from over, but for today, he'd done his part.
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**End of Day 2 — Score Summary**
* **India 1st Innings:** 274 (Ishaan 83, Kohli 149; Anderson 4/64)
* **England 2nd Innings:** 22/1 (Burns 4, Root 11\*) — lead by 35.
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